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Dwyn asked them that a lot, their answer was always the same. Because there was nothing Ailre could pinpoint to be a characteristic they loved in her. She was simply herself, they loved everything about her.
As a kid Ailre would never say that they loved Dwyn that way. Because, well, kids don't say they are in love. It's gross, and just parents do that kiss thingy. But… It was love from the get go. The apple hair and sunlit eyes, she was a personification of autumn.
A very fiery autumn.
Her first smile made their heart skip a beat, but they thought nothing at the time. It was a new friend, right? And it was simply great that she was having fun with him.
Then they just felt comfortable around her, sometimes they joked she drained all their energy. When in reality she was just peaceful, like warming up in front of a fireplace reading a book.
Of course, there were the moments that the fire was almost out and the cold crippled over them. Or when the day suddenly got too warm and the flames were even stronger. Even so, she was their peace. Dwyn said they were hers. Ailre liked that they could always have each other when the world was crumbling around them.
But that wasn't the reason they loved each other.
Ailre knew where Dwyn was a mile away. She always looked like a time traveler, wearing handmade clothes from decades ago. Her family's vintage style was one of the things that made them look more into fashion.
It was also another excuse to spend more time with her when they were young. As much as she didn't love sewing, Dwyn always gave them little classes about the different stitches and various fabrics. However, seeing her talk hours on end about mechanisms and how they work, showing them all her tools and what they were for was much more interesting. The gleam in her eyes when she talked and created her baubles, the contagious excitement… Sometimes they just watched quietly, because it was beautiful and there wasn’t anything they wanted to say.
It took years for that stubborn and childish mind to wrap around the lifetime crush they had in their best friend. Too many to count.
But it was worth it.
Her face was so red when they first kissed, their heart was pounding and their ears burned. They were in love. That was when they admitted to her and themselves, under the light of the projector and hearing Hulk smash the puny god against the floor.
He felt they were the one being smashed, the main reason they never forgot which movie and scene it happened.
They never had to say it out loud. Their love is a neon light.
(Okay, maybe they had to explain to Logan)
After they got together officially, things didn’t change much. They were just… a lot more cheesy with each other. When they were alone. The only thing Dwyn did in public was to show there was no competition. She was possessive.
She looked adorable like that too.
Ailre couldn’t stop smiling for weeks on end, thinking that they were together. Thoughts about the little things made them stay awake until early rise. Like how Dwyn had the tiniest and cutest dimple when she gave a big smile. Or how her hand was so tiny and round compared to their long and skinny fingers. She was gracious while they were a clumsy pole.
That was until they stopped growing, teenage awkwardness was too much.
Even after Ailre disappeared for almost a whole year she was there, not waiting, nor yearning. But she was there and they couldn’t be more thankful, because not having Dwyn in their life at all would break him. Survivable, but would leave a big scar.
Nightmares, panic attacks, a very slow reintroduction to social life. Their family was there all the way and Dwyn never left. She held them and combed their hair until they remembered that they were there with her. They didn’t say anything when she stopped using berries’ perfume and changed to citric, but they noticed it was not long after they told that they survived mostly because of berries.
She was thoughtful.
He loved to cuddle with her, hide their hair among the wild red curls. Kiss the top of her head and whisper sweet nothings just to hear her giggle.
They would care for each other in the bad and greatest days, they were ready to go against the world together.
Ailre was unable to express how much in love they were, all the happiness they felt this past year, from the first, to the second proposal. The shock and glee from discovering the pregnancy. The joy of the wedding. And now, having the twins sleeping between them… they felt like the happiest person in the world.
Tired amber stared at him, Ailre brushed the red strands away from her face, she leaned on their palm.
“Why?”
“Because you are you.”
And that would never change.